Brake applying hitch device



April 7, 1953 s. s. BARNES 2,633,942

BRAKE APPLYING HITCH DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET l mvsu'roa GERALDSBARNES April 7, 1953 G. s. BARNES 2,633,942

BRAKE APPLYING HITCH DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 195] 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 luvsm'on 6E RALD6,BARNE8 uroauev Patented Apr. 7, 19.53

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAKE APPLYING HITCH DEVICE Gerald s. Barnes, Dunkirk, N. Y. Application January 5, 1951, Serial No, 204.517

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a brake applying hitch device. v V

It is an object of the present invention to provide a brake applying hitch device wherein a master cylinder is operated under the action of. the hitch device to apply the brakes of the succylinder and a simple connection for the pull bar element with the slide brace assemblies between which the master cylinder device is connected.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a control trailer hitch device adapted to operate the brakes of the succeeding vehicle or trailer, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, has

a minimum number of parts, easy to connect between the vehicles, compact, rugged and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is-a perspective view of the brake operating hitch device embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the hitch device connected between the bumpers of two vehicles.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the hitch device with a portion thereof broken away and shown in section. V

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken generally on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig.5 is a transverse sectional view. taken on lines 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

1 Referring now to the figures, l represents a transversely extending main plate to which sprin attaching grip members II and 12 are attached by welding. Below these respective members are grip members 13 and 14 which are respectively connected to the upper members by bolts l and nuts [6. The members are kept spaced from one another by spacing rings 11 on the bolts. Any number of spacing rings can be used depending upon the spacing required for [9, Fig. 2, to be towed.

On the respective opposite ends of the transverse member Hl are internally threaded sleeves 2| and 22. Adapted to fit-into these respective sleeves are threaded shackle pins 23 and 24. 1

To the shackle pin 23 there is connected a bent tube 25 having a bifurcated portion 26 that is secured to the pin 23 by a bolt 21 and a nut 28. At the opposite side of the device there is connected a bent tube 29 through its bifurcated por tion 3! to the shackle pin 24 by a bolt 32 and a nut 33.

Slidable in the end of bent sleeve 25 is a rod 34 rigidly secured to a bent tube 35 that has on its end bifurcated portions 36 adapted to receive a connecting fin 31 of a pull rod element 38, Fig. 6. The connection with this connecting fin 31 is eifected by a bolt 39 and nut 40. b r

Slidable in the bent tube 29 is a pin 4| which is welded to a bent tube 42 havin bifurcated portions 43 that are secured to a connecting fin 44 on the opposite side of the pull rod element 38. The connection is effected with the fin 44 by a bolt 45 and nut 46. In the respective sleeves 25 and 29 are respectively sleeve bearing liners 4'1. By a pull ofthe rod 38, the pins 34 and 4| may move respectively out of the bent tubes 25 and '29 and the tubes '35 and 36 can hinge on the respective connecting fins 31 and 44 of the pulling element 33. The outer end of the pull rod element 38 is threaded and receives a threaded sleeve 48 which is bifurcated and receivesa' hook '49. The connection is efiected through a pin 5| with the threaded sleeve 48. This hook 49' can serve to connect the hitch device to a bumper 52 on a pulling vehicle 53, Fig. 2. Connected to the pulling element 38 is a sleeve 55. The connection is effected by welding, as indicated at 56. To this sleeve there is fixed a threadedly extending supporting plate 51 from which there extends rearwardly a horizontal support 58 fixed by braces 59 and 69. In the middle of this support 53 is an upstanding bracket 6! to which a master cylinder device 62 is connected by bolts 63 and 64. This device has a top filling plug 65 and a hose conduit 6? that extends from the forward end thereof and to a brake upon a trailing vehicle. This master cylinder device normally engages the brake of the vehicle except when there is a pull effected through the hitch device by the pulling vehicle 53. Uponmoving down hills where there is a tendency for the trailing vehicle 19 to overrun the pulling vehicle, the hitch device automatically applies the brakes of the trailing vehicle. r

7 Fixed to the transverse member III are laterally Spaced brackets 68 and 69 between which a fitting II on the end of a guide sleeve 12 is secured by a bolt 13 and nut 14. In the forward open end of the guide sleeve 12 is a bearing sleeve 15 in which the pulling rod element 38 slides.

Extending vertically from the rear end of the sleeve 12 is a vertical support 16. A piston rod for the master cylinder device is indicated at T! and extends through the upper portion of the vertical support T6 and is adjustably secured thereto by lock nuts 18 and 19; This piston rod is slidable through a head 80 of the cylinder device. Accordingly, as the vertical supports 51 and 16 tend to separate from one-another, the

pressure of the fluid of the master cylinder will be decreased. This separation of the" vertical supports 51 and I6 is eiiected throughcompression springs 81 and 82 surrounding respectively bolts 83 and 84 that extend between the vertical supports and through which a coupled relationship is efiected from the pull rod element 38 through the sleeve 12 and the transverse member l0. Upon any slight tendency for the trailing, vehicle to over-run the pulling vehicle, the springs 8| and 82 will be compressed and thepiston rod 17 will be forced into the cylinder device in order to build up a greater pressureof the fluid and to operate the brakes on the trailing vehicleautomatically. At these times, the pins34 and M will respectively slide in the sleeves 25 and 29. The up and down movement of the hitch parts relative to the transverse bar is effected upon the bolts2l, 32 and 13,

It will now be apparent that there has been provided a brake controlling hitch device which is of simple construction, wherein the parts as they are extended or retracted are easily ac-- commodated and wherein the master cylinder is provided on the hitch device and when coupled to the brakes of the trailing vehicle serves to actuate the same upon the tendency of the mas-'- ter cylinder device parts to be forced'toward one another to build up the pressure in the fluid line extended to the brakes.

While various changes may be made in thetrailing vehicle having brakes, a transversely extending hitch member, gripping means on the transversely extending hitch member for effecting the connection of the device with said trailing vehicle, forwardly extending bent tubes pivotally connected to the ends of the transverse member for vertical pivotal movement and converging forwardly relative to one another, slidable hitch parts slidably connected respectively to" the forward ends of the bent tubes and respectively bent inwardly, a pulling rod element having hook means on its forward end and laterally extending connecting fins, pivot bolt means respectively connecting the ends of the slide elements to the respective laterally extending fins of the'pull rod element, a pull rod guide sleeve pivotally'connected to the transversely extending member for up and down pivotal movement and intermediate the inwardly bent tubes pivotally connected to theends of the transverse member, said pull rod member slidably connected in the pull rod guide sleeve, vertically extending supports respectively connected to the pullrod member and to the pull rod guide sleeve,

9. master cylinder device connected between the vertical supports, pull bolts connected between REFERENCES CITED- The following-references are of record in thefile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. Name Date- 2,513,854. Fenstermacher July 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS- Number Country Date 909,660 France May 15, 1946 

